History and Development of the Fruit Industry 5 



if space would permit. In regard to their early efforts 

 in fruit-growing, Mr. Anthon H. Lund, Historian of the 

 Latter Day Saints, communicates the following: 



"In a General Epistle of the Church, dated 1847, to 

 the Saints throughout the earth and signed by Prest. 

 Brigham Young, the following paragraph appears: 

 'To all Saints, we would say, come immediately and 

 prepare to go West, bringing with you all kinds of choice 

 seeds, of grain, vegetables, fruits, shrubbery, trees, and 

 vines, everything that will please the eye, gladden the 

 heart, or cheer the soul of man, that grows upon the 

 face of the whole earth; also, the best stock of beast, 

 bird, and fowl of every kind that shall tend to promote 

 the comfort, health, happiness, or prosperity of any 

 people.' 



"On the 23d of July, 1847, the advanced company of 

 the Pioneers camped on what was subsequently known 

 as the 8th Ward Square of Salt Lake City. Apostle 

 Orson Pratt called the camp together, dedicated the land 

 to the Lord, invoked his blessings on the seeds about to 

 be planted. 'What,' in the language of Apostle Wood- 

 ruff, 'was to hinder the house of God from being estab- 

 lished in the mountains, and exalted above the hills, 

 and these valleys from being converted into orchards, 

 vineyards, and fruitful fields.' The first successful plow- 

 ing was done by Wm. Carter, and a company commenced 

 the work of getting out water for irrigation. 



'"By August the 26th,' the historian records, 'the 

 colonists had laid off a fort, built 27 log houses, plowed 

 and planted 84 acres with corn, potatoes, beans, buck- 

 wheat, turnips, etc.' Among the 'seeds' blessed by 

 Elder Pratt and afterwards planted were peach, apple, 

 pear, plum and other fruits. In due course of time these 

 bore fruits, to the great joy of the people. Nor were 

 shade trees lost sight of, for quarts of locust seeds were 

 also put into the ground by the pioneers, and at this 



